Your View: Here's a whale of an idea for tourism

Regarding the Paul Revere sign and a name for the new downtown park, I suggest the following: A large white whale sign that spouts electronically every 15 minutes, and Moby-Dick Park for the park.

GERARD L. GAUDETTE

Regarding the Paul Revere sign and a name for the new downtown park, I suggest the following: A large white whale sign that spouts electronically every 15 minutes, and Moby-Dick Park for the park.

New Bedford needs imaginative attractions to draw tourists to visit the city. Almost every city in Europe has such an attraction. Paris the Eiffel Tower, London Big Ben, Rome the Colosseum, and the little town of Pisa, Italy, the famous Leaning Tower. Tourists visit these cities to see these and other attractions.

Herman Melville made New Bedford famous in his novel "Moby-Dick." It is world famous, and considered by many the best novel ever. This association with Melville and the characters in "Moby-Dick" should be used to promote New Bedford.

The Paul Revere sign was OK, but a sign with an electronically sprouting white whale every 15 minutes is certain to attract more attention. It should be located near the downtown exit on Interstate 195. I am certain that Poyant Signs in the industrial park could design and build such a sign.

Regarding the under-construction downtown park, a name to attract tourists would be "Moby-Dick Park" and have a life-size statue of the great white whale in the park. The whale could be constructed of cement, plastic or other material. The park could be advertised: "Come see the white whale in New Bedford's Moby-Dick Park," which should attract many tourists. Melville sailed on the New Bedford whaler Acushnet.

Another attraction could be a smaller version of the whaler Acushnet located somewhere in the Historic District to create another whaling theme there. The ship could have a small post office selling postal cards listing "Moby-Dick Park, New Bedford, MA." Visitors could thus mail these cards to friends and relatives. The Eiffel Tower in Paris has such a post office at the very top.

Another tourist attraction could be a character museum. New Bedford has been associated with many world-famous characters, such as: Hetty Green, Lizzy Borden, Joshua Slocum, Sgt. William Carney, Bartholemew Gosnold, Massasoit, Wamsutta, Metacomet, characters in "Moby-Dick" such as: Capt. Ahab, Starbuck, Ishmael and others. A little research could provide more characters.

Melville mentioned the Seamen's Bethel in "Moby-Dick." It would be appropriate to have a life-sized statue of Melville next to the Bethel. A suggested logo could be: "Call me Ishmael's favorite city, Historic New Bedford."